Response Paper on

“Defining Feminism: A Comparative Historical Approach”

Subject: Feminism (MPhil IDS)

Submitted to: Dr. Aysha

Submitted by: Amir Mustafa

Iqra University – Islamabad Campus

Feminism as a movement and as an idea may be defined as redefining theory of

gender equality, eliminating levels of differentiation or discrimination against
individuals upon grounds of sex. Author of the paper under discussion Karen
Offen tried to comprehend the definition of feminism and society wide concept
merged in the history. Writer beautifully defined the feminism from the concepts
merged in Europe, America, and UK in the period extends from 1400 to some
latest advancement (latest refer here to year 1988: year of publication of paper).
Anyone who supports above mentioned ideas of feminism or similar ideology or
theory named as feminist whether regardless of his/her sex. Offen: an American
historian defined the term feminism which could be acceptable for men and
women both today regardless of cultures and times. But as author herself defined
that it is awful to define the feminism particularly as the term varies in regions,
times, cultures, societies, and person to person even.

2. Author in start of paper confuses the reader with different aspects of

feminism rather basing her article on some concrete idea of feminism, She
refereed to dictionary definition of feminism which define the literacy meaning of
feminism while the word is actually name of a movement and an ideology.

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Dictionary defines as "a theory and/or movement concerned with advancing the
position of women through such means as achievement of political, legal, or
economic Rights equal to those granted men." Europeans focused on
elaborations based on sexual difference rather than complementary between
both sexes which is more important near to writer. Amy Hackett: a German
feminist stressed on equality of rights for women in 1975. Swedish writer Elen
Key's owns liberation to define the definition including motherhood into it.

3. Writer found its (definition) origin in France early 1890s, where Hubertine
Auclert in 1882 used the term feminist. Before 1910, the term traveled into
Europe, Russia, and US at end. But prior to that in 1848 Seneca Falls
Convention, convened by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and others,
called for full legal equality with men, including full educational opportunity and
equal compensation; thereafter the woman suffrage movement began to gather
momentum. By 1900 a veritable imputed feminism sprung into being. Author also
tell about Greek literature that in (1610-1652) the word feminism was found but
didn't pose the same meaning as we did today, but writer should mention here
about the Greek’s concept on feminism. Joan Kelly didn't found the term
feminism between 1400 and 1800. The writer pinched the terms post and pre
feminism with no time brackets for terms post and pre. A British text extended
from 1500 - 1800, tried to extract feminism term, but different writers explained
the term differently during the said period: rudimentary definition of feminism is
not sufficient for analytical purposes.

4. In current US and UK literature definition of feminism, it is found with real

historical insight. Dualistic insight of feminism include old & new, social & hard-
core, first & second wave, classical & modern, maximalist & minimalist,
humanistic & gynocentric, while tripartite include egalitarian, evangelical, socialist
feminism identified by 1800. Writer said that Alison Jagger: another researcher
on feminism identified socialist feminist category different from Marxist feminism.

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Moreover writer says a comprehensive approach is required to distinction
between definition reported by British and American scholars.

5. French writers on feminism are highly impressed by Simone de Beauvoir.

In her book The Second Sex (1949), Beauvoir influenced by Sartre’s
existentialism where she stated that ‘one is not born a woman; one becomes
one’ (qtd in Moi, p. 92). Therefore, Beauvoir argues that woman is culturally
constructed as man’s other (Moi, p. 92).

6. Second view writer stressed on was a comparison of relational and

individualist feminist argument. Relational considers woman in relation with
men's emancipation and social status like sister, wife, daughter etc. while
individualist approach pose women's rights absolutely, not relevant to men.
Relational feminism dominated in studies prior to twentieth century in western
world, while individualist approach of studying women is found in America and
UK by publishing of the subjection of women in 1869 by John Suart Mill.

7. Focusing on individualist blinds us of effective arguments used to combat

male privilege in Western world during the past few centuries. Relational
feminism incorporated demands for women's right to work outside the household
to participate in all professions and to vote. Between 1890 and 1920 both
approaches articulate differing claims. Relational approach says that social role
of women based in natural biological differences, not on moral and intellectual
being. At a time writer says that French feminist rejected competitive
individualism. A historically based definition of feminism “As an ideology,
feminism incorporates a broad spectrum of ideas and possesses an international
scope.

8. Author comprehensively explains the issue that one should locate the
origins and growth of these theories and ideas in respect of the local cultural
traditions, rather than postulating a hegemonic model for their development on

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the experience of any single national or sociololinguistic tradition, which could be
unacceptable for the rest of the theorists.

Individual approach is used against women to provide equal rights amendment.

9. Authors’ analysis about feminism definition and ideology totally biased

toward developed countries, where she ignored the development of this
movement in developing countries e.g. in Africa, South Asia, South East Asia. It
is not possible that during the quoted period of history these regions were totally
unaware from this ideology.